a broad tail to steer by."

1836. C. Darwin, `Naturalist's Voyage,' c. xix. p. 321:

"Had the good fortune to see several of the <i>Ornithorhynchus
paradoxus</i>. . . . Certainly it is a most extraordinary
animal; a stuffed specimen does not at all give a good idea of
the appearance of the head and beak when fresh, the latter
becoming hard and contracted."

1848. W. Westgarth, `Australia Felix,' p. 131:

"The specimen which has excited the greatest astonishment is
the <i>Ornithorynchus paradoxus</i>, which, fitted by a series
of contrivances to live equally well in both elements, unites
in itself the habits and appearance of a bird, a quadruped,
and a reptile."

1850. J. B. Clutterbuck, `Port Phillip in 1849,' p. 42:

"Platypus, water-mole or duckbill."

1860. G.Bennett, `Gatherings of a Naturalist,' p. 96:

"The <i>Ornithorhynchus</i> is known to the colonists by
the nme of the watermole, from some resemblance which it
is supposed to bear to the common European mole (<i>Talpa
Europoea</i>, Linn.)"

1860. G. Bennett, `Gatherings of a Naturalist,' p. 95:

"When first a preserved skin was sent to England, it excited
great distrust, being considered a fraud upon the
naturalist. . . It was first described and figured by Shaw in
the year 1799, in the `Naturalist's Miscellany,' vol. x., by
the name of <i>Platypus anatinus</i>, or Duck-billed Platypus,
and it was noticed in Collins's `New South Wales' 2nd ed.
[should be vol. ii. <i>not</i> 2nd ed.], 4to. p. 62, 1802,
where it is named <i>Ornithorhyncus paradoxus</i>, Blum. . .
There is a rude figure given of this animal in Collins's work."

1884. Marcus Clarke, `Memorial Volume,' p. 177:

"The Platypus Club is in Camomile Street, and the Platypi are
very haughty persons."

1890. `Victorian Statutes--the Game Act' (Third Schedule):

[Close Season.] "Platypus. The whole year."

1890. C. Lumholtz, `Among Cannibals,' p. 30:

"In the Dee river . . . I observed several times the remarkable
platypus (<i>Ornithorhynchus anatinus</i>) swimming rapidly
about after the small water-insects and vegetable particles
which constitute its food. It shows only a part of its back
above water, and is so quick in its movements that it
frequently dives under water before the shot can reach it."

1891. `Guide to Zoological Gardens, Melbourne':

"In the next division the platypus and its burrows are shown.
These curious oviparous animals commence their long burr